HONOR KILLING TRIAL

12.21.11

Canadian Man Accused of Murdering Daughters

Landov

The alleged honor killing of three teenage girls and their mother has gripped the Canadian public. Mohammad Shafia, a 59-year-old businessman born in Afghanistan, has been charged with four counts of premeditated murder. According to investigators, Shafia, his 20-year-old son, and second wife drowned the four women and left them in a car at the bottom of a river. Shafia was allegedly angry over his daughters wearing short skirts and flirting with boys. Shafia and his codefendents have pleaded not guilty, saying deaths were a joyriding accident. Social services had been called to the Shafia house to investigate claims of abuse–at least two of the daughters had claimed both mental and physical abuse–but the girls would not make the accusations in front of their parents. The trial will resume Jan. 9.